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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · safe · toast · craft · field · last · stock · bay

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. field — a subject
  7. last — final
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — music
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. last — finally
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — boats
  16. last — to go on
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. craft — a skill
  20. toast — bread
  21. stock — shares
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com